Memphis, Tenn., Feb. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Women United and United Way of the Mid-South will assemble a Town Hall on Thursday, February 11, from 6:00 p.m.- 7:30 p.m. CST, for all to learn more about the COVID-19 virus and the vaccinations available to the public. “Candid Conversations: COVID-19 Vaccinations” will be led by keynote speaker, Dr. Barney Graham, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of the NIH Vaccine Research Center and Chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory, and will feature an impressive panel engaged in an honest conversation about the vaccine and its role in mitigating the spread of COVID-19. In partnership with Local24 Memphis, The Commercial Appeal, National Civil Rights Museum and MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, this dialogue will provide the answers to understand the virus, address current myths about the vaccine, and receive up-to-date medical information about the vaccine, its distribution, and how it can work as one of the most effective tools to protect your health and prevent further disease.
The event will be free and open to everyone, and it can be accessed by visiting United Way’s website at uwmidsouth.org.
“At United Way of the Mid-South, we feel compelled, in our role as a convener, to set forth an open forum for this important discussion,” said Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, MD, President & CEO, United Way of the Mid-South. “To stop this pandemic, we need to use all available prevention tools. There are many in the community who have concerns about the vaccine, and desire a deeper understanding of the role the vaccine can play in keeping ourselves, our families and friends, and our neighbors safe and healthy and our community productive. Our United Way offers that opportunity to learn the facts, so individuals can make informed decisions.”
Attendees are encouraged to listen and learn from this virtual conversation. The presenter is Barney Graham, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of the NIH Vaccine Research Center and Chief of the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory. The event will include a panel discussion, moderated by Wendi Thomas, Founder and Editor of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, and will feature:
- Rev. Dr. Keith Norman, Pastor, First Baptist Broad; VP of Government Affairs, Baptist Memorial Healthcare; and member of the Memphis – Shelby County Joint COVID-19 Task Force
- Latonya Washington, MD, President, Bluff City Medical Society
- Nathaniel Boutte, PharmD, Pharmacist, Walgreens
- Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health
- Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, Director, Shelby County Health Department
“The concerns of the community, especially the African American community, surrounding the COVID-19 vaccination are legitimate,” said TaJuan Stout Mitchell, Chair of Women United. “I believe our fears can be conquered when we are equipped with information and educated with facts. I am pleased that Women United and United Way of the Mid-South have collaborated with experts in the field of healthcare to provide timely information that helps us to make sound decisions for ourselves.”
For more information, visit uwmidsouth.org.